While issue #1 was quite the accomplishment, a great humor-filled introduction, #2 feels like a step back. It goes for the obvious gags, and articulates known characters in inaccurate ways in service of an uninspired narrative. Still, there is good humor and it's just a fun book with eye-catching art. Having the Guardians of the Galaxy along both helps and hurts. We know these characters so well by now, so when they aren't written accurately it feels like a compromise was made somewhere. They just seemed off somehow. STILL, Howard the Duck is shaping up to be a promising series and I'm not giving up on it yet. The final page intrigues!